Artist hand support and ruler

ABSTRACT

A hand support particularly for use by artists and the like having a frame with a wall portion provided with longitudinally spaced end portions, and a handle connected to the wall portion and extending longitudinally away therefrom. Side wall portions are connected to the end portions and extend away from the wall portion codirectional with the handle. Each side wall portion has an edge surface contoured so as to approach a surface which the frame contacts in the direction away from the wall portion. The frame has a plurality of protrusions arranged for providing point contact with the surface which it contacts. Indentations may be provided in the wall portion for defining a scale.

United States Patent 1191 Horenstein 1 Oct. 30, 1973 ARTIST HAND SUPPORT AND RULER 21 Appl. No.: 199,122

3/1900 Austria 248/1183 10/1917 Switzerland 248/1183 Primary ExaminerWil1iam H. Schultz AttorneyClarence A. O'Brien et al.

[57] ABSTRACT A hand support particularly for use by artists and the like having a frame with a wall portion provided with longitudinally spaced end portions, and a handle connected to the wall portion and extending longitudinally away therefrom. Side wall portions are connected to the end portions and extend away from the wall portion codirectional with the handle. Each side wall portion has an edge surface contoured so as to approach a surface which the frame contacts in the direction away from the wall portion. The frame has a plurality of protrusions arranged for providing point contact with the surface which it contacts. Indentations may be provided in the wall portion for defining a scale.

5 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures Patented Oct. 30, 1973 ARTIST HAND SUPPORT AND RULER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to a hand support particularly for use by artists and the like, and which may be positioned at a desired point and in a desired orientation on a surface which the frame of the hand support contacts. Edge surfaces of portions of the frame are contoured so as to approach the surface for permitting a hand to rest thereon at various distances from the surface.

2. Description of the Prior Art During the course of painting, drawing, writing, and the like, many people require some type of support for their hands for steadying same and preventing tiring thereof. U. S. Pat. No. 2,496,276, for example, shows an artists maulstick which may be arranged over the surface of a support on which the device is mounted. This type of hand support, however, has the disadvantage of being somewhat unwieldy and difficult to position. Further, the distance of the hand from the surface is substantially constant. U. S. Pat. No. 1,599,432, for example, shows a hand support which may be easily positioned, but also forms a hand resting surface which is substantially equidistant from the surface upon which the hand support is placed. In addition, the hand support of the latter mentioned patent has large surface areas contacting the surface, which would make it impractical for use in, for example, painting since the paint would be smeared.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a hand support suitable for use with paint and which permits a hand to rest at various distances from a surface which the hand support contacts.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a hand support which is easily positioned at a desired point on a surface.

These and other objects are achieved according to the present invention by providing a hand support having a frame with means for resting a hand at various distances from a surface which the frame contacts. The hand support further has means for positioning the frame at a desired point and orientation on the surface.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the means for positioning is a longitudinally extending handle, The frame may have a wall portion with the handle connected to the wall portion and extending longitudinally away therefrom. At least one, and preferably a pair of side wall portions are connected to the wall portion so as to extend away therefrom codirectional with the handle. The means for resting has an edge surface of each side wall portion contoured so as to approach the surface which the frame contacts in the direction away from the wall portion. The frame is provided with a plurality of protrusions arranged for providing point contact with the surface.

Preferably, the wall portion is provided with indentations defining a scale.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a hand support according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken generally along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to the drawings, a hand support 10 according to the present invention has a frame 12 with a means 14 for resting a hand (not shown) at various distances from a surface 15 which frame 12 contacts. Hand support 10 further has a longitudinally extending handle 18 for positioning frame 12 at a desired point and orientation.

Means 16 may be a longitudinally extending handle 18. Frame 12 further has a wall portion 20 to which handle 18 is connected so as to extend longitudinally away therefrom. Wall portion 20 is provided with longitudinally spaced end portions 21 to which a respective one of side wall portions 22 is connected so as to extend away from wall portion 20 codirectional with handle 18. Handle 18 is arranged between side wall portions 22 near edge 23. Each side wall portion 22 has an edge surface contoured so as to approach surface 15 in the direction away from wall portion 20. These contoured edge surfaces form means 14. While the edge surfaces have been illustrated as substantially linear, it is to be understood that they could be nonlinear if desired.

Frame 12 has a plurality of protrusions 26 arranged on edge surfaces 28 and 30 for providing point contact with surface 15.

Surface 31 of wall portion 20 may be provided with indentations 32 defining a scale 34 which may be used by the person using the hand rest to make measurements.

One side wall portion 22 may be provided with a hole 36 for receiving a loop 38 constructed from a suitable material, such as a cord, for permitting hand support 10 to be, for example, hung on a peg when not in use.

Hand support 10 may be constructed from a suitable synthetic material, such as polypropylene, as a single piece in an injection mold. Indentations 32 may then be hot-stamped in a known manner into surface 31. Such techniques are well known in the art.

Although the embodiment of the present invention discussed above is preferably constructed from a synthetic material, it is to be understood that hand support 10 may be constructed in a known manner from other suitable materials, such as, for example, wood. In addition, scale 34 may be a separate element removable from frame 12. Such a separate scale (not shown) may be attached to surface 31 in any suitable, known manner (not shown), such as by fastening elements, an adhesive, or it may be removably retained thereon by slide guides (not shown). If wood is used for the construction of hand support 10, protrusions 26 may be, for example, the heads of brads (not shown).

Dimensions of 6X3X'rfi inches for wall portion 20 have been found satisfactory. Side wall portions 22 may be 3 inches wide adjacent wall portion 20, narrowing to 2 inches at an intermediate point, and three-fourths of an inch at end 40. Protrusions 26 may be pyramidal in shape and extend one-eighth of an inch from edges 28, 30. The vertex of the pyramids may define an angle of 30.

A person may use hand support by positioning it with one hand by means of handle 18 while testing the other hand on a contoured edge surface 24. If the person wants his hand at the maximum distance from surface 15, it will be positioned adjacent wall portion 20. If, however, the hand is desired to be closer to surface 15, which may be, for example, a canvas, the hand is positioned closer to end 40. By using handle 18 to position and orient hand support 10, any angle desired can be obtained. The hand can be twisted and rested in peculiar positions to achieve desired results without smudging the work. Further, protrusions 26 minimize the contact surface between frame 12 and surface 15 for preventing smudging of, for example, recently painted areas. If the person using hand support 10 desires to make measurements, a scale is already in the persons hand ready for use. Thus, the person can work smoothly along, painting or drawing confidentally and steadily.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A hand support, comprising a frame including means for resting a hand at various distances from a surface which said frame contacts and a wall portion provided with longitudinally spaced end portions, means for positioning said frame at a desired point and orientation on the surface, said means for positioning being a longitudinally extending handle connected to said wall portion and arranged extending longitudinally away therefrom, and two side wall portions connected to a respective end portion of said wall portion with said handle arranged between them and extending away from the wall portion codirectional with said handle, and said means for resting including edge surfaces of said side wall portions contoured so as to approach the surface in the direction away from said wall portion.

2. A structure as defined in claim 1, wherein said frame further includes a plurality of protrusions arranged for providing point contact with the surface.

3. A structure as defined in claim 2, wherein said wall portion is provided with indentations defining a scale.

4. A structure as defined in claim 1, wherein said wall portion is provided with indentations defining a scale.

5. A hand support, comprising, in combination, a frame including means for resting a hand at various distances from a surface which said frame contacts and a wall portion provided with spaced end portions, means for positioning said frame at a desired point and orientation on the surface, said means for positioning being a handle connected to said wall portion between the end portions thereof and arranged extending away therefrom, and at least one side wall portion connected to an end portion of said wall portion and extending away therefrom codirectional with and spaced from said handle, and said means for resting including an edge surface of said side wall portion contoured so as to approach the surface which the frame contacts in the direction away from said wall portion and in a plane spaced from the handle. 

1. A hand support, comprising a frame including means for resting a hand at various distances from a surface which said frame contacts and a wall portion provided with longitudinally spaced end portions, means for positioning said frame at a desired point and orientation on the surface, said means for positioning being a longitudinally extending handle connected to said wall portion and arranged extending longitudinally away therefrom, and two side wall portions connected to a respective end portion of said wall portion with said handle arranged between them and extending away from the wall portion codirectional with said handle, and said means for resting including edge surfaces of said side wall portions contoured so as to approach the surface in the direction away from said wall portion.
 2. A structure as defined in claim 1, wherein said frame further includes a plurality of protrusions arranged for providing point contact with the surface.
 3. A structure as defined in claim 2, wherein said wall portion is provided with indentations defining a scale.
 4. A structure as defined in claim 1, wherein said wall portion is provided with indentations defining a scale.
 5. A hand support, comprising, in combination, a frame including means for resting a hand at various distances from a surface which said frame contacts and a wall portion provided with spaced end portions, means for positioning said frame at a desired point and orientation on the surface, said means for positioning being a handle connected to said wall portion between the end portions thereof and arranged extending away therefrom, and at least one side wall portion connected to an end portion of said wall portion and extending away therefrom codirectional with and spaced from said handle, and said means for resting including an edge surface of said side wall portion contoured so as to approach the surface which the frame contacts in the direction away from said wall portion and in a plane spaced from the handle. 